What I use delivering wood

[Moss Man]

Try adding it as a service. A lot of people I sell to are women. They don't want to stack. Old people don't either. Business guys don't want to either. I charge a lot for wood and I sell all I have because people pay for services.

Scott

You make a very valid point Scott. Now that I have lost my regualr job, I need to find ways to make the firewood business as profitable as possible. Advice well taken.

Moss

 

[AOD]

Thast the greenest way to handle wood I have ever seen. You might get sick of pushing it after about 1/2 a mile.

 

[mowoodchopper]

I dont stack it very often and if I do I back the pickup right up to the pile.
I dont charge by the cord, I charge by the load and its thrown on not stacked.I pile it up close to the roof of the pickup and thats a load. Most people burn a load every 2 weeks if thats all they heat with. I pull up and throw it in a pile to unload. I have 4 prices, 1 cottonwood not split, 2 cottonwood split,3 ash or elm not split, 4 ash or elm split, and if they are an :censored: I charge them an extra 10$ for the trouble!
:greenchainsaw:

 

[dnf0929]

For all you guys that sell by the cord I can understand why, given the time and effort involved, the stacking/not stacking becomes an issue but I sell only face (1/3) cords and have found that offering stacking was a major selling point. All but one of my customers this year helped and were reasonable in where they wanted it stacked. It also gives us an opportunity to talk for a couple minutes and build a relationship. I not a subscriber to the theory that the customer is always right but some guys seem to have this take it or leave it attitude and that's fine if you have more business than you can handle but I'm trying to build a loyal customer base that I can ad to and get referrals from over the years.

 

[dnf0929]

Around these parts,I know of no one who delivers firewood and stacks it for the customer. Not saying it isn't standard practice in some places, just never seen it here. The truck arrives, backs across the lawn, makes tires ruts, dumps the load and then leaves with money in hand.

How would we all like it that's what happened when one of our mother's ordered firewood or an appliance or furniture? I know firewod's a different commodity but some of the same business principles should apply. That's why firewood sellers, as a group, sometime get and deserve and bad reputation.

 

[wdchuck]

For all you guys that sell by the cord I can understand why, given the time and effort involved, the stacking/not stacking becomes an issue but I sell only face (1/3) cords and have found that offering stacking was a major selling point. All but one of my customers this year helped and were reasonable in where they wanted it stacked. It also gives us an opportunity to talk for a couple minutes and build a relationship. I not a subscriber to the theory that the customer is always right but some guys seem to have this take it or leave it attitude and that's fine if you have more business than you can handle but I'm trying to build a loyal customer base that I can ad to and get referrals from over the years.

You'll go far with that attitude.

 

[thejdman04]

Very few people I sell to use the wood for real heat. Most people just have "honey fires" Honey I want a fire. Most people just buy a rank. about 20% get 2 ranks. I just make a lot of stops.

Scott

Thats my experince too, only 2 out of 200 customers really burn wood for real heat.

 

[CRThomas]

Wood price

A lot of my people wouldn't buy the wood if it wasn't stacked. I don;t even meet 85% of my customers. They call and give me an address. I deliver the wood leave my name and address and they mail a check. People are shocked when they call me and I do that. I have yet to be screwed. A rew slow payers but nothing bad. I'm getting around $95 for a rank now. That is abut average. So people around here still do it for $70 in St.Louis. I can still buy it for $40 around where I live 30 miles South of St.Louis.

Scott

I live a 100 miles south of St. Louis in il wood is down now to $20.00 a p/u load I buy it and dry it and resell it. Those are the guys that need cash flow for beer. Later

 

[Wood Doctor]

Maintain a Good Attitude

For all you guys that sell by the cord I can understand why, given the time and effort involved, the stacking/not stacking becomes an issue but I sell only face (1/3) cords and have found that offering stacking was a major selling point. All but one of my customers this year helped and were reasonable in where they wanted it stacked. It also gives us an opportunity to talk for a couple minutes and build a relationship. I not a subscriber to the theory that the customer is always right but some guys seem to have this take it or leave it attitude and that's fine if you have more business than you can handle but I'm trying to build a loyal customer base that I can ad to and get referrals from over the years.

I still sell firewood for $100 a truckload delivered and I pack my truck with short siderails to the gills (avatar). That equals about 75 to 80 cu ft, and when I show up, the customer and I usually work together to unload and stack it. Great exercise for both of us, and he/she usually throws in and extra $20.

Most of my delivered mixed hardwood is split and seasoned elm, hackberry, mulberry, ash, walnut, sycamore, and oak. Nobody complains, and over half of my customers are repeats, some going back 5 years or more.

 

[CRThomas]

Asking

Try adding it as a service. A lot of people I sell to are women. They don't want to stack. Old people don't either. Business guys don't want to either. I charge a lot for wood and I sell all I have because people pay for services.

Scott

A fellow came down and bought $2000.00 dollars worth of cherry from me I was not there and did not meet the guy was that you. Wish my pardoner had not done that. That put me almost out. Just asking. Later in the winter firewood sellers want my dry wood. But my Lardner sells bulk and our dry wood went quick. I am a bundle sell not a bulk seller. It's 23:30 got my coffee drank time to hit the splitter. I don't like bulk to much work. More profit in bundled wood and less work. Later STLouis

 

[STLfirewood]

A fellow came down and bought $2000.00 dollars worth of cherry from me I was not there and did not meet the guy was that you. Wish my pardoner had not done that. That put me almost out. Just asking. Later in the winter firewood sellers want my dry wood. But my Lardner sells bulk and our dry wood went quick. I am a bundle sell not a bulk seller. It's 23:30 got my coffee drank time to hit the splitter. I don't like bulk to much work. More profit in bundled wood and less work. Later STLouis

No I don't sell cherry. If I do it's very little. I can usually have dry wood. I have a kiln so the next batch is just a few days away. Right now I have a 3 week wait for kiln wood. I should have dried more over the summer. I was drying cook wood instead. I would like to try the bundled wood but I ghet a good price per cord without bundling it. I'm getting $420-$450 a cord for Kiln dried firewood.

Scott

 

[CRThomas]

Price of firewood

Holy Crap !! You guys are actually getting that much for that little bit of wood????? I help my buddy sell firewood and he gets $125 a full cord and $150 delivered, not stacked. If he tried to sell it for that price around here he would get laughed at for sure...

In southern illinois there are so many wood sellers the price has bottomed out I am pay $20.00 to $30.00 dollars for all I can put on a half ton respiting it wrapping it and selling it for $5.00 a bundle 30 bundles is less than a half rank comes to $90.00 a batch. I had a fellow deliver me a dump truck load for $40.00 it come to three pickup loads but was green it's in the back of my kiln now. Take out when I get back home I'm in Nola now. People want me to haul it to St. Louis and sell fellows I am covered up now.

 

[wdchuck]

It's an interesting place we are in when one person is willing to let their effort go for so little and someone else has the know-how to market it to a much greater effect.

The ads on cl and the locals are providing quite a supply of wholesale goods at less than logger prices....it makes no sense at all but the dollars are there for those who are willing to harvest them.

 

[CRThomas]

Info

The area I live in the people are a different breed they burn what ever is cheap tires, batteries, rail road ties, lot of free or stolen wood. I have to go out of my area to sell . I went got one load the guys want me to drop them at the beer joint loading that wood made them thirsty. I went to get a load from a fellow his wife said he was out there loaded the truck put the $20.00 in his shirt pocket and left for got he was past out drunk. For my area normal. Later Chas

 

[CRThomas]

Wood

It's an interesting place we are in when one person is willing to let their effort go for so little and someone else has the know-how to market it to a much greater effect.

The ads on cl and the locals are providing quite a supply of wholesale goods at less than logger prices....it makes no sense at all but the dollars are there for those who are willing to harvest them.

My truck is on the road buying firewood for $20 to $30 bucks a load for stock pile. I even got some for $15.00 a load not split I have to reap it any way because the pieces are to big to wrap. Don't dry very fast the rough

 

[CRThomas]

Info

Very few people I sell to use the wood for real heat. Most people just have "honey fires" Honey I want a fire. Most people just buy a rank. about 20% get 2 ranks. I just make a lot of stops.

Scott

My pardoner sells bulk I sell bundled he works harder makes less money. I fill my little p/u up with bundles and I am off for the day. If I sell and deliver 30 bundles that's $150.00 bundles and I am not tire got to visit some good folk and some of the other type. Ash is all I sell it's light, it starts quick, it has a pretty flame, it makes couples fall in love agin. Try it it works. Try wrapping your wood with Xmas paper under your plastic looks good and turns the little old shopper on. I have one customer put her name on the bundle. (Wrapped for Lady xxxx) she rubs that in her girl friends face. Remember women buy and men complain. The Xmas wrap is $7.00 a bundle. Later Chas

 

[CRThomas]

Thats my experince too, only 2 out of 200 customers really burn wood for real heat.

You are right about that percentage. The was only me selling bundles now there are there of us the others wrap free hand I wrap with a machine. There's look bad. I have my customers pick the bundle up before I sell them if not what they want go make the size they want. Chas

 

[wdchuck]

One location that buys bundles had their whole stock bought by one person because they like it in bundles. That person gave me a call and asked for 50bundles for their home use despite the fact that it costs more versus just getting a bulk 1/3cord.

I'll bring along a firewood carrier bag that we offer and that may be the best compromise.

 

[CRThomas]

Reply

One location that buys bundles had their whole stock bought by one person because they like it in bundles. That person gave me a call and asked for 50bundles for their home use despite the fact that it costs more versus just getting a bulk 1/3cord.

I'll bring along a firewood carrier bag that we offer and that may be the best compromise.

I sell a wood rack that holds a 1/2 rank that's 30 bundles or let them use it if repeat customers. Most of my old people just order 5 at a time they want somebody to talk to. I have my phone set to ring so I can get away.

 

[wdchuck]

I sell a wood rack that holds a 1/2 rank that's 30 bundles or let them use it if repeat customers. Most of my old people just order 5 at a time they want somebody to talk to. I have my phone set to ring so I can get away.

That right there is funny as heck, and polite idea as well.